Floor-washing machine



(No Model.)

L. GRAHAM. FLOOR WASHING MACHINE. No. 446,445. Patented Feb. 17, 189 1.

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LIZZIE GRAHAM, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

FLOOR-WASHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming Application filed May 24, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

lie it known that I, LIZZIE GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Ore gon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor lVashing Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in floor-scrubbing machines; and it consists of the parts and de tails of construction, as will hereinafter be more fully pointed out in the drawings, and described and claimedin the specification; and the object of my invention consists in providing a new and improved machine which will permit of floors being easily, conveniently, and rapidlyscrubbed or washed with the least amount of trouble and labor being expended in theaccomplishment thereof.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 3 is a detail View of the scrubbing-brush and lever for working the same.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts through the entire specification and drawings.

The letter A represents the ordinary platform or floor of my improved scrubbing-machine, which platform rests or is supported above the floor or from the ground at any suitable height by means of the legs B, These legs have apertures formed in the bottoms thereof to permit of the reception of casters, by means of which the machine may be moved or rolled from place to place These casters are secured in position in any desirable manner, so as to prevent their falling out when the machine is lifted from the floor.

To the rear of the platform A, I secure the rectangular tank 1), and to the upper edge of said tank is secured the mop-wringer O. The object of said tank is to receive the dirty Water from the mop after the same is passed part of Letters Patent No. 446,445, dated February 17, 1891.

Serial No. 353,055. (No model.)

I l l through the mop-wringer, used in drying the iioor after scrubbing. By the use of this wringer and tank I also obviate the necessity of the hand being used for the purpose of wringing out the dirty water from the mop, and by having the same attached to the platform of my scrubbing-machine avoid the use of a separate bucket being used for this purpose. This tank may be either permanently or removably secured to the platform A; but when permanently attached thereto an out let or cock (not shown) is provided to permit of the outflow of the dirty water.

E indicates the hot-water reservoir 1en1ovably secured to the forward end of the plat-.

forin A, and which, by preference, I make of a cylindrical form. The top of said reservoir is provided with the usual cover E. At or near the lower end thereof is provided the faucet F, which permits of the flow of the retained liquid from the reservoir. The outer end of said faucet is made screw-threaded, for the purpose hereinafter more fully shown. I haveshown no particular means for fastening or securing said reservoir to the platform A; but this maybe accomplished in any wellknown manner. At or near the top of the cylindrical reservoir I secure the handles f, to permit of the ready removal of the same from the platform or the placing on of the same.

G- represents the scrubbing-brush, to which is attached the operating-lever g, which lever is provided near its upper end with the handle g. A vertical slot 7L is formed near the bottom or lower end of said lever. The operating-lever is pivotally secured to the front end of the platform A by means of the thumbscrew 1', which passes through the vertical opening formed in the operating-lever. By means of the vertical opening h and the thumb-screw t' adjustability may be given to the scrubbing-brush. The top or back of the scrubbing-brush G is made hollow or open, thereby forming areceptacle for the soap to be used in scrubbing.

The letter ll indicates the metallic pipe, which passes through the platform A near the front end thereof and extends above and below the same. The lower end of said pipe rests over the soap-receptacles formed in the back of the scrubbing-brush, and the upper end, as aforesaid, extends through the platform ,A. The outer orprotruding end of the pipe II has a movable vscrew-threaded collar Secured thereon, which permits of the same being connected to the screw-threaded portion of the faucet F, extending from the reservoir E.

The letters I I represent the standards, the forward two of which are extensions of the forward legs of the machine.

J J are horizontal cross-bars secured to the standards I I, and which extend beyond the standards I, forming handles by which the machine is moved from one part of the floor to another.

The operation is as follows: \Vater having first been introduced into the reservoir-E and the pipe H connected to the faucet F by means of the screw-threaded collar mounted thereon, the faucet is then turned so as to allow the flow of water from the reservoir, through the connecting-pipe I'Lonto the back of the scrubbing-brush, whence it will flow into the soap-receptacles, and from thence to the floor. Motion is then imparted to the scrubbing-brush by means of the operatinglever g, which works upon the thumb-screw 'i. The hot water (with which the cylindrical reservoir is filled) running over the soap, and the motion imparted to the scrubbing-brush, will cause the formation of suds without bringing the soap in direct contact with either the floor or the brush, thereby saving considerable soap,which heretofore has been wasted; also avoiding the use of soap or suddy-water in the reservoir, hence allowing thelatter, when the device is not in use, to be removed and utilized for other purposes, as the water used therein is always clean.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is-

1. The combination, with the hot-water reservoir of the herein-described scrubbing-machine, of the scrubbing-brush provided with the open top forming soap-receptacles, the operating-handles, and the connecting waterpipe, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a-floor-scrubbing machine, the combination, with the movable platform, of the vertically-ad j ustable operating-lever and the scrubbing-brush, substantially as set forth.

3. In a floor-scrubbing machine, the combination of a movable frame, a vertically-operating lever provided with a longitudinal slot, a thumb-screw passing through said slot into the end of the frame, a hot-water reservoir placed upon the movable frame, a scrubbingbrush pivotally secured to the lower end of the operating-lever, said brush providedwith top soap-receptacles, and a water-pipe leading from the hot-water reservoir, so as to discharge the water into the soap-receptacles of the brush, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LIZZIE GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

EVA E. GRAVES, JOHN RICHARDSON. 

